What should be the goals of high school sex education?

Why have sex education? By their 18 th birthday 60% of girls and 70% of boys have had sexual intercourse By their 18 th birthday 60% of girls and 70% of boys have had sexual intercourse If we don’t address sexuality during the years of compulsory education then the majority of youth will have engaged in sexual activity without access to reliable educational resources!! If we don’t address sexuality during the years of compulsory education then the majority of youth will have engaged in sexual activity without access to reliable educational resources!!

STDs diagnosed annually in the US STD Incidence Chlamydia 3 million Gonorrhea 650,000 Syphilis 70,000 Herpes 1 million Human papillomavirus 5.5 million Hepatitis B 77,000 Trichomoniasis 5 million HIV 20,000

Sex Education Policies (1999) Landry, Kaeser, & Richards (1999) as cited in The Alan Guttmacher Institute – Facts in Brief: Sexuality Education (2004)

Where sex education is headed In % of schools had abstinence- only education policies In % of schools had abstinence- only education policies In 1999 this rate increased to 23% In 1999 this rate increased to 23% What might account for this increase? Is it a step in the right direction?

Abstinence-only education After years of investigation there are still no convincing results After years of investigation there are still no convincing results No evidence that it delays onset of sexual intercourse No evidence that it delays onset of sexual intercourse Some evidence that it actually may deter adolescents from using contraceptives Some evidence that it actually may deter adolescents from using contraceptives

Findings from the National STD Prevention Conference Data was taken from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health Data was taken from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health 88% of abstinence-pledgers reported having sex before marriage 88% of abstinence-pledgers reported having sex before marriage Less than half (only 40 percent) of male pledgers used a condom Less than half (only 40 percent) of male pledgers used a condom STD rates between pledgers and non- pledgers were not significantly different STD rates between pledgers and non- pledgers were not significantly different

What parents want in sex ed Comprehensive sex education Comprehensive sex education Medically accurate sex education Medically accurate sex education Contraceptive use, condom use, STIs Contraceptive use, condom use, STIs Sexual orientation Sexual orientation Safe sex practices Safe sex practices Abortion Abortion Communication and coping skills Communication and coping skills Emotional aspects of a relationship Emotional aspects of a relationship

Reasons for comprehensive sex ed For those teens who are sexually active without using contraceptives, 90% will become pregnant within a year For those teens who are sexually active without using contraceptives, 90% will become pregnant within a year 75% of the reduction in pregnancy rates is attributable to an increase in use of highly effective and long-lasting contraceptives 75% of the reduction in pregnancy rates is attributable to an increase in use of highly effective and long-lasting contraceptives

Comprehensive sex ed: The debate Concern: Comprehensive sex ed will increase adolescent sexual activity Rebuttal: Findings consistently reveal that comprehensive sex ed and access to contraceptives does not hasten the onset of sex, increase its frequency, or increase an adolescents number of sexual partners (SIECUS, 2003)

Investigating comprehensive sex ed In contrast to many of the common concerns of implementing comprehensive sex ed, it has been shown to: delay the onset of sexual activity delay the onset of sexual activity reduce the number of sexual partners reduce the number of sexual partners increase contraceptive use increase contraceptive use (The Alan Guttmacher Institute, 2004)

What teachers want in sex ed vs. what they are allowed to teach Darroch, Landry, & Singh (2000) as cited in The Alan Guttmacher Institute – Facts in Brief: Sexuality Education (2004)

Recommendations for sex ed “Comprehensive school-based sexuality education that is appropriate to students’ age, developmental level, and cultural background should be an important part of the education program at every age.” (SEICUS, 2003)

Implementing our knowledge What is appropriate for different ages of adolescents? What is appropriate for different ages of adolescents? What is appropriate for different levels of developmental? What is appropriate for different levels of developmental? What is appropriate for different cultural backgrounds? What is appropriate for different cultural backgrounds?

References Facts in Brief: Sexuality Education, (2003). Retrieved March 15, 2004, from d02.html d02.html d02.html Fact Sheet: Abstinence-Only Education, (2004). Retrieved March 15, 2004, from s/AbstinenceOnly10-01.html s/AbstinenceOnly10-01.html s/AbstinenceOnly10-01.html Sexuality Education, (2003). Retrieved March 15, 2004, from 00.html 00.html 00.html Teen ‘virgins’ face STD risks, study finds, (2004). Retrieved March 15, 2004, from